PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee– (May 21, 2026) – With grilling season on the horizon, Dollywood Parks & Resorts today introduced a new partner that will help the award-winning theme park turn up the heat on summer fun.
Royal Oak is now the official charcoal partner of Dollywood, working with the park on cooking demonstrations with Royal Oak ambassadors, special themed menu items, exclusive recipes for Dollywood season passholders and more.
Royal Oak products will be integrated into several of Dollywood’s most popular culinary locations, including Wilderness Pass Restaurant and Hickory House BBQ, ensuring every bit is fired to perfection. In addition, the company becomes the presenting sponsor of Miss Lillian’s BBQ Corner.
“We’re proud to welcome Royal Oak as our official charcoal partner,” said Eugene Naughton, Dollywood Parks & Resorts President. “The culinary experience we offer at Dollywood is well-known throughout the industry. Our dedication to foods authentic to the Smoky Mountain region has helped us earn this reputation, and this new partnership with Royal Oak allows us to continue delivering on those traditional grilling processes that can’t be replicated in any other way.”
Dollywood’s culinary team has earned a number of accolades through the years—including multiple Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards—for their industry-leading dining experiences. Cuyler Hunter, Director of Marketing, shared the importance of the new partnership with this award-winning team.
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with Dollywood, an iconic destination that captures the heart of American summer traditions through family, food and fun,” Hunter said. “At Royal Oak, grilling has always been about more than fire and flavor—it’s about bringing people together, creating memories, and celebrating the moments that make this country’s BBQ culture so special.”
Royal Oak official partner logos will be found at several culinary locations throughout Dollywood.
For more information, please visit dollywood.com or download the Dollywood app.
–Dollywood2026-
About Dollywood Parks & Resorts: A highly awarded and widely recognized leader in the amusement industry, Dollywood Parks & Resorts consists of the 165-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and two award-winning resort properties: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on May 3, 1986, and earned the theme park industry’s highest accolade, the Applause Award, in 2010. Dollywood has earned 67 Golden Ticket Awards and 28 Brass Ring Awards for live entertainment. In 2022, 2024 and 2025, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has been recognized as a top U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides, attractions, shows and crafters inspired by and authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and Tripadvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to mid-September. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort provide guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. For more information, visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Director, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]
Ellen Liston: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]
Jennifer Webb: Sr. Publicist, (865) 428-9602, (865) 323-7584 or [email protected]
Sophia Nieves: Publicist, (865) 428-9456, (256) 631-5413 or [email protected]
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room